Closer

I guess it’s as good a time as any to talk about this song. It’s that kind of song that every group or singer lusts for, the kind of song that puts you on the map. The kind of song that generates publicity be it good or bad because as everyone knows there’s no such thing as bad publicity. You know the old adage right? “Say whatever you want, just spell my name right”. This was the song for Nine Inch Nails that put them on everyone’s map the second it hit and it sent the album “Downward Spiral” through the roof and made Trent Reznor a star. The song is “Closer” and while musically I feel Trent has done better, lyrically he outdid himself.

It’s starts off unassuming with a scruffy beat and then he comes in with lyrics that set off every woman’s group you can imagine but when he gets to the chorus all hell breaks loose. “I wanna fuck you like an animal / I wanna feel you from the inside / I wanna fuck you like you an animal / My whole existence is flawed / You get me closer to God”. From there the song builds in angst. More instrumentation, the lyrics that once started off as almost a whisper are now screamed at you and it’s like someone is losing control. The music becomes like the psyche of the person behind the lyrics and suddenly the name of the album “Downward Spiral” comes vividly into play. This person is descending into madness.

This song was a mega hit and while NIN had a dedicated following before it, it eventually pulled everyone into its web and even hip hop heads knew who NIN was. It was so big that David Fincher the director of “the social network” had Trent Reznor help score that movie and even used the instrumental version of this song as the opening credits to his movie “Seven” starring Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt. I loved this song from the first moment I heard it and I still do. The music pulls you in and doesn’t let you go, it’s got a serious undeniable groove that eventually makes you nod your head to it. Ah who am I kidding, it’s all about those damn lyrics.